ODJ: four hearts
January 13, 2011
Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! (v.8).
READ: Mark 4:1-20
Theologian C. H. Dodd described Jesus’ parables as stories that tease us into thought. They provoke us—shock us even—into deep soul-searching. The first parable in Mark 4 is a good example. Jesus compared His preaching mission to a farmer sowing seed that fell on different types of soil. Jesus’ missional success depended not on His message (the “seed”), but on how receptive hearts were to receive it (the “soil”). He categorized His audience into four heart types: • The hard heart, where the seed can’t penetrate (Mark 4:4,15). I once asked an author if he would ever consider Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah. His reply was that there was nothing that would sway him from his religion. In this case, Jesus’ message couldn’t even get a hearing. • The shallow heart, where initial faith is abandoned because of hardship (vv.5-6,16-17). I knew a girl who needed to decide whether Jesus or her boyfriend would be her priority. She returned to her boyfriend, to the demise of her faith. Her faith wasn’t yet deep enough to face the costs of discipleship. • The distracted heart, where the worries, riches, and pleasures of life compete for our attention (vv.7,18-19). At one time, this was me. When I came to faith, my life changed but my old lifestyle of nightclubs and music vied for allegiance. I gave in and my faith began to wither. • The attentive heart, where the message is received and pursued for life (vv.8,20). This heart produces a miraculous harvest of fruit! Jesus invited His audience to wrestle with this parable and wring out its meaning (v.9). Failure to do so would prove there was little interest in Him and His forgiveness (v.12). Jesus’ invitation extends to us today. How open is our heart to His voice and message? How open is our heart to Him? —Sheridan Voysey
Which heart type would you use to describe yourself—hard, shallow, distracted, or attentive? How can you open your heart to Jesus today?
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